No matter how you look at this, this is by far the saddest cartoon moment. While he was still an active general for the Fire Nation, he attempted to conquer the Earth Kingdom capitol Ba sing se along with his only son. He managed to break through the outer wall after roughly 600 days, but as he was trying to get through the inner wall, his son was killed in the front lines of battle. He withdrew from the siege and spent a long time grieving for his son. Here we are several years later with the easy going, comical, retired general Iroh in Ba sing se. His son's birthday comes up and he spends the day in the very city he tried conquering, wishing his son a Happy Birthday through his tears as he sings "Leaves From The Vine (Brave Soldier Boy)". Think about it, he must blame him self wholly for the loss of his son, as it was his own decision to attempt a siege on Ba sing se. I mean sure, the death of Mufasa and Bambi's mom was sad, but here we have a character with a lot of time ...more

This is by far the saddest thing I ever seen, animated or otherwise. It took me a minute to process, and once I had, it broke me. Mako's frail voice just brought so much feeling to the words. Like Johnny Cash singing "Hurt". I haven't ever been able to wipe that scene from my memory, and I hope I never do.

This was really sad, to make it even sadder, those were Iroh's voice actor's last words and they named his son who died in the show Mako to honor the voice actor. - PeeledBanana

It is simply the most defining point of the series. Until that you saw iroh as a crazy carefree old man with only tea on his mind. A wise one but still crazy. But only at that moment you cone to realize.You see iroh's deep pain and with that the depth of his character

5Homer Says Goodbye to his Mother from "Mother Simpson" From The Simpsons

Homer reunites with his long lost mother and finds out the reason she left was because she was a fugitive who help destroy Mr. Burns germ lab near the end of the episode Mr. Burns invades the Simpson home and tries to capture but thanks to tip from chief Wiggum Homer and his mom escape in time and Homer and his Mother have this heart to heart talk as he watches her leave. - egnomac

Pretty sad he just stood waving in the Credits so sad.

6Jurassic Bark - Futurama

I don't think I've ever cried more about anything. After watching this and hearing Fry's speech about his dog, I cried for three hours straight. When I thought I'd cried everything out, I went downstairs to tell my mum about it, and ended up slumped in front of the fireplace, sobbing. I literally cried my eyes out - I had to have drops in them that night.

Saddest moment ever in a cartoon even thinking about it is making my eyes water

The Simpsons might be better, but no scene in the Simpsons was sadder.

When I watched this movie in theaters, the whole audience (including me) were crying our eyeballs out when we saw this scene

When I watched this film, I didn't understand what was happening, now I do and it's quite heart-wrenching - RickyReeves

I'm sorry this should be 2 Ifeel like the only reason stopping it is through popularity, however I still feel avatar young soldier boy should be 1

9Snow White's Funeral Scene - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Seeing Grumpy trying not to grieve but finally breaks down and sobs uncontrollably was the pinnacle moment of the film.

10Optimus Prime Dies - The Transformers: The Movie

Michael Bay learned a lesson from this, never kill off the best, or at least bring them back yo life later on.

I'm cried for Optimus. - 05yusuf09

The Contenders

11Dot's "Death" in Wakko's Wish

Sure it did turn out that she was faking it but that scene was really just sad.

The way Yakko was reacting during this scene was what really got me. He's the type of character where nothing ever seems to faze him, but he just breaks down crying here after he believes that Dot just died.

Near the end of season 5 Kenny gets killed off for good then brought back at the end of season 6. - egnomac

That happens on every episode

They killed kennyYOU BASTARDS

Honest, this episode takes the sweeter aspects of the boys (minus Cartman, duh) and makes it heart wrenching. The fact that Kenny’s last words were “Where’s Stan? ” Ice off the cake.

14Brian's Death From Family Guy

I cried for like 3 hours lmao

15Rose Wish's for the Destruction of the Hunts Clan From American Dragon Jake Long

Right before the Hunstman could make the wish that would destroy all magical creatures Rose snatches the Aztec skull and wishes for the destruction of the Hunts Clan which means she would be destroy as well, she does all this to protect Jake and his family, and in return Jake wishes that she was never taken by the Huns Clan but by doing so it also means they never met and everything that had happened between them would be erased, he see's her again the next day only to find out that she and her family are moving away to Hong Kong. - egnomac

She sacrifices her own life to save Jake and his family and then he Sacrifices his own happiness to insure that she has a life without the Hunts Clan with own parents. - egnomac

They could have at least had more seasons where they eventually ended up getting married and having kids! Cutest couple ever!

This is from an very old cartoon most of you probably never heard of its about this little kid with a toy gun who shoots down this little bird and then worries that he may have accidentally killed this bird, the mother and father bird show up and try to revive him but when he doesn't wake up they think he's dead and then it moves to this scene of the baby bird funeral where all this birds are singing very sadly and it show the little boy crying and then suddenly the bird wakes up and everyone's all happy and the kid makes peace with the birds, just watch it and you'll understand. - egnomac

There were two versions of Song of the Birds the original version and the Famous Studios remake starring Little Audrey. The Original was better with the hauntingly beautiful funeral song sung by the birds in grieving during the funeral scene.

22The Genie says Goodbye to Aladdin After he is freed from the lamp in Aladdin

23Ron Moves Away From Kim Possible: A Stitch In Time

24"Little Brothers" From Phineas and Ferb

Whither you like Phineas and Ferb or not it does have its fair share of moments one such is when Candice finally busts Phineas and Ferb and they get send to this special camp even though she's finally been able to bust them her victory feels totally hollow and begins missing them all the while her friend Staci singing the song "Little Brothers" - egnomac

Sad...

25The Debut of Dora the Explorer

This was super sad. - Goatworlds

How is that sad?

Because the show excisted

26Gary Come Home From Spongebob Squarepants

27Pops's Death from Regular Show

This absolutely deserves to be number 1

I teared up at this

Pops died? - Heyo_Simba

28Tom and Jerry Commit Suicide from Tom and Jerry

Blue Cat Blues was a classic and the darkest Tom & Jerry cartoons ever. Told as a Point of View by Jerry Mouse (Voiced by Paul Frees) about Tom falling for a Gold-digger Kitten who falls in love with Butch (Tom's Rich Rival) and how she betrayed Tom in marrying his rival and how Jerry thought why Tom's girl wasn't like his girl who was loyal and faithful until she betrayed him by marring another mouse and how Tom & Jerry decided to end it all by sitting on the tracks and waiting for the express train to end their miserable lives.

It was sad, not one moment, the entire episode of "Blue Cat Blues". Tom fails to get a dame's love, he drinks, later sitting on the train tracks, waiting for a train. Jerry watches his girlfriend drive off with another mouse. He joins Tom.. the episode ends with... a train horn.. due to this, it was barely aired. Ever.

34Jessie Reminiscing about She was Emily's Favorite Toy before she was abandoned at a donation box on Toy Story 2

35The Massacre of Marlin's wife and eggs by a Barracuda in Finding Nemo

36Rose's Death from the Redwall TV Series

Season Three, also entitled Martin the Warrior after the book it was adapted from, has one of the most heartbreaking deaths of any animated character. She never tried to hurt another creature and didn't deserve to die. I think Martin's reaction is what really makes it sink in. For the first twelve episodes, things go well for Martin and Rose, and they kiss in episode 13 (the last one). It looks as though they'll end up living happily ever after in Rose's home, Noonvale, then WHAM - Rose is killed in the final battle and Martin goes south, after swearing never to use his sword again. Disney may have some sad deaths, but none of the main protagonists have died just minutes from the end and stayed dead. And that's what makes it so different from other sad animated moments - the target age for the films, unlike the books, is the same as Disney films, but the death rate in Redwall is much worse.

I'm so glad Badrang died for killing Rose this is the second saddest death in the series only behind Felldoh's death

37The Cast of Freakazoid Singing "We'll Meet Again" at the End of the Series Final From Freakazoid

38Don't Leave Me (Lyle Lyle The Crocodile)

39Kimba's reunion with the Spirit of his deceased Mother out at sea from Kimba the White Lion

40The Captain's Sacrifice From Space Cruiser Yamato

41The Final sequence from The Last of the Curlews

42The Sacrifice of a Mother Deer to save her fawn from a monster Giant Salamander in Magic Boy

43Charlie's Final Goodbye to Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go To Heaven

44The Orphans Realizing that their Christmas was Ruined in Christmas Comes Once a Year

Teen Titans Go Characters ruined it!

45Bobby Generic finding out that his friend Abe the Crossing Guard Passed Away in Bobby's World

46Cinderella crying to her Fairy Godmother after being savagely attacked by her Evil Stepmother and Stepsisters in Cinderella

It's like a Disney version of Jersey Shore

47Casper Grieving After His Little Fox Friend died in There's Good Boos Tonight